AMNA NAWAZ: Good evening.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

On the "News Hour" tonight: President Trump# de.. while Israel ramps up its strikes# against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

AMNA NAWAZ: The U.S.

loses nearly# 100,000 jobs in February, showing## signs of a strained economy that's now facing# even more uncertainty from the war with Iran.

GEOFF BENNETT: And Americans who found# themselves stranded abroad when the war## started share their struggle# trying to return to the U.S.

JOHN ALMEIDA, American Citizen:# The American Embassy here has## been utterly useless.

We called# and called and e-mailed.

I mean,## you launch an attack and you don't man these# stations with support for your citizens?

(BREAK) GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

Nearly a week into the U.S.-Israel war with# Iran, President .. Republic surrender and again said he wants# a hand in choosing the nation's next leader.

AMNA NAWAZ: The Iranian Red Crescent# says more than 1,300 people have now## been killed by the American and Israeli bombing.## Local officials in Tehran also said another# school was hit with an airstrike.

The bombing## of a girls school last Saturday killed# more than 150 people, mostly children.

Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen is in the## Gulf and starts our coverage tonight of# the expanding war, beginning in Lebanon.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: The strikes echo# like deep thunder.

Thick gray smoke## blankets the skyline of Lebanon's capital,# the view from the ground even more menacing,## buildings completely eviscerated.

Overnight# and into today, Israel pounded Beirut and its## southern suburbs with by far the most intense# airstrikes since last year's cease-fire.

Israeli officials say their# campaign against Hezbollah## will continue even after their war on Iran ends.

BRIG.

GEN.

EFFIE DEFRIN, Israeli Defense Forces# Spokesperson (through translator): Hezbollah## and the Iranian regime are.. must get rid of Hezbollah and soldiers# of the Revolutionary Guard who operate## on its territory.

If they won't,# we will chase and attack them.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Yesterday, the IDF ordered# the entirety of Southern Lebanon to evacuate,## some 400,000 people ordered to# head north of the Litani River,## and today told all residents of several villages# in the Beqaa Valley to leave too, having already## extended the unprecedented evacuation orders to# cover entire neighborhoods in Southern Beirut.

In this densely populated area, hundreds of# thousands of people forced to flee their homes,## terrified families with nothing# but the clothes on their backs.

JAMAL SEIFEDDIN, Displaced Lebanese# (through translator): We're sleeping here## in the streets.

Some are sleeping in .. LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Meanwhile, U.S.-Israeli# attacks intensified across Iran, pushing the## war into a new phase as it nears the one-week# mark.

A spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry## released this video showing what appears to be a# school in Tehran smashed into ash by an airstrike.

The IDF launched what it called a broad-scale# wave of strikes on Tehran and the western city## of Kermanshah, home to multiple ballistic# missile bases.

And U.S.

Central Command## said it struck this Iranian drone carrier.

It all# came alongside yet another message from President## Donald Trump.

He ruled out anything other than# Iran's -- quote -- "unconditional surrender."

But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian today## tweeted that -- quote -- "Some countries# have begun mediation efforts, which should## address those who underestimated# Iran and ignited this conflict."

Trump also met behind closed doors with leaders# of American military contractors and said the## top defense manufacturing companies would, in his# words, quadruple production of certain munitions.

COL.

MARK CANCIAN (RET.

), Center for Strategic# and International Studies: Production for## these kinds of systems takes years.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Retired Colonel# Mark Cancian told us whatever they## do now won't have any impact on this war.

COL.

MARK CANCIAN (RET.

): He's likely exhorting# them to increase their production capabilities## so that, when the war is over, the United# States can replace these munitions more## quickly and provide them to allies and partners.# Patriots, for example, are used very widely.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Those systems hard# at work over Tel Aviv.

Israel shot## down Iranian missiles as they flew toward the# capital.

And, today, missiles reached Kuwait,## Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar, though# the number of attacks is declining.

It's sunset here in Qatar and time to break the# Ramadan fast.

Usually, these streets would be## packed, but with so many incoming attacks from# Iran, many residents are choosing to stay home.## We have just had another emergency alert go off# for incoming missiles while we were standing here.

Thus far, Gulf nations have managed# to intercept most of these attacks,## but now stocks for their missile# defense systems are running low.## And Gulf leaders are beginning# to consider a firmer response.

Under the constant threat of Iranian# missiles, the capital Doha's residents,## including its large population of foreign# workers, are trying to go on with life as normal.

ABDUL HARIS, Doha, Qatar, Resident: In Qatar,# always, they have very good alliance with many of## other countries, especially neighboring countries.# So I don't think it -- it won't go forward.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: But not everyone feels safe.# Airports across the region have been shut down## for nearly a week, stranding hundreds# of thousands of tourists in a war zone.

Matthias, a German tourist whose cruise# ships sailed into Doha's port just minutes## before the attacks began, was locked# in his cabin on board for five days,## taking shelter as drones and# missiles rained down on the CITY.

MATTHIAS, German Tourist: The captain told# us, stay here on board.

Don't leave the boat.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: How are you# feeling when these missiles come in?

MATTHIAS: We are fear.

We are fear.

We look,## watch in the sky and see the missiles and the# other missiles from the air base, from Qatar,## and we hit in the -- we're meeting in# the sky and explosion.

You see flames.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: A region suspended in# fear as the Iran war continues to escalate## with no end in sight and hundreds# of millions caught in the crossfire.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm# Leila Molana-Allen in Doha, Qatar.

GEOFF BENNETT: Today, we also learned that Iran# is receiving intelligence support from Russia.

Our Nick Schifrin joins us now.

So, Nick, let's start there.# What kind of intelligence?

NICK SCHIFRIN: Two officials with -- who# have been briefed on this intelligence tell## me that Russia has shared satellite data that# provides the real-time movement of American## troops since Saturday, since the war began.

That# confirms a report first in The Washington Post.

The officials say the data includes movement of# ships, movement of aircraft as they move into the## region, as they move throughout the region.

Now,# the context for this is Iran's ongoing attacks,## attempted attacks on U.S.

troops, but also# ongoing attacks on U.S.

bases and embassies,## for example, this drone attack that crashed into# the Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain,## an attack on a tactical operations# center in Kuwait on a base.

You see the damage in the bottom right there.# That killed six U.S.

soldiers in a facility## that the soldiers' family members say was# not reinforced.

An attack like this one on## the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia that we# saw yesterday, close call for the cameraman there.

But I spoke to two former senior intelligence# officials and two former senior military officials## with extensive knowledge of the region who say# let's put this in a little bit of perspective.## Iran already has access to commercial# satellite data, which is often very## good.

Iran has already been taking photos# of U.S.

bases and embassies for many years.

Iran and Russia do not rehearse the sharing# of real-time intelligence like this,## and that would require networks anyway that# the U.S.

is trying to take down.

And Iran does## not need Russian intelligence to attack static# targets like those bases, like those embassies.

For example, air defense radars and some of these# embassies are actually on Google maps.

That said,## the intelligence could help if Iran# were to target things that are moving,## ships that have just arrived,# aircrafts that have just arrived.

And a current U.S.

official tells me, look, their# number one priority is protecting the force.## And it would be an understatement# to suggest that Russia sharing this## intelligence with Iran as it's at war# with the United States was a concern.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, what are# the political implications of## Russia choosing to help Iran in this way?

NICK SCHIFRIN: Yes, I think that's a really# important question, because the former officials## I talked to say, regardless of how much this# is actually helping Iran target U.S.

forces,## we have not seen Russia being willing to take# the step before, sharing real-time intelligence## that could target U.S.

troops, and what kind# of military-military collaboration long-term## that could lead to, whether air defense# or Russian political advisers in Iran.

As for the White House today, Karoline Leavitt,# the spokesperson of the White House, said this.

KAROLINE LEAVITT, White House Press Secretary:# That clearly is not making a difference with## respect to the military operations in Iran# because we are completely decimating them.## As I said earlier, we have taken out# nearly 30 of their ships.

Their navy## has been deemed combat-ineffective, 90# percent reduction in ballistic missile## retaliatory strikes against the United States# and our Gulf Arab and partners in the region.

So, of course,## we are achieving the military objectives of# this operation and that is going to continue.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And that's what the military# argues, Geoff, that as this war continues,## the U.S.

is taking out missile and drone# capabilities of Iran and so all of those## attacks that we have seen on the Gulf on U.S.# bases and embassies, those are going way down.

GEOFF BENNETT: Nick Schifrin, thanks, as always.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Thank you.

AMNA NAWAZ: Let's turn now to the economy and# a disappointing new jobs report today showing## employers cut 92,000 jobs in February.

The# report also included downward revisions for## the previous two months and a slight rise in# the unemployment rate from 4.3 to 4.4 percent.

Altogether, it paints a picture of a labor# market struggling across a number of sectors,## including some that were engines of recent growth,# like health care and construction.

Stocks fell on## the news, capping a week of declines, along with# a rapid rise in oil and gas prices, a result of## President Trump's war with Iran.

The average price# of a gallon of gas rose 11 percent this week.

To unpack today's numbers,# we turn now to Diane Swonk,## chief economist at KPMG.# That's a tax and advisory firm.

Diane, good to see you.

So with the usual caveat it's important# not to.. the losses in today's report were widespread.# What does all this tell you about the economy?

DIANE SWONK, Chief Economist, KPMG:# Well, part of the losses in health care,## this was the one sector that was really sort of# the one-legged stool holding up the overall labor## market.

And we had a major strike in California# and Hawaii that shaves 27,000 health care worker## jobs off with some collateral damage as well in# the unemployment rate with temporary layoffs.

So that was part of it.

But even taking that# out, it still was a lot of red ink.

And when## you lose the one stool holding you up, you# go negative and the unemployment rate rises.

AMNA NAWAZ: There's been a lot of talk about# employers having to navigate uncertainty around## shifting tariff policies.

How big a factor# is that uncertainty in all of this right now?

DIANE SWONK: It really acts like a tax on the# economy.

There's just no question about it.

We had escalating uncertainty last year# and we're seeing it again this year.## What's important about it is, it's much like a# broken stoplight at a busy intersection.

When you## see a busy -- a broken stoplight, everybody slows# down, traffic backs up.

Some people opt out and## wait for the traffic light to fixed or traffic to# clear before they pass through the intersection.

That's the same kind of response# you get from employers in periods## of heightened uncertainty.

They cut back on# investment decisions, most notably on hiring.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, if we zoom out# just a little bit here, Diane,## outside of the two most recent recessions,# last year saw the lowest pace of average## job growth since 2003.

January, we# saw unexpectedly high numbers.

Now## we have unexpectedly low numbers.

What# does this mean about long-term trends?

DIANE SWONK: We're still seeing a very, very slow,## sort of slushy labor market.

It's# a low-hire, low-fire labor market.## That is not a good place to be.

It's a labor# market where it's very hard for those people## who've not gotten a job yet, new college grads# or new high school grads, that are just entering## the labor market to get their foot in the door# when firms are not hiring at a healthy pace.

There's not a usual churn in the labor# market that we have seen, and, in fact,## the ability to hop jobs and get a# premium has almost evaporated now.

AMNA NAWAZ: So in a low-fire,# low-hire economy, what does that## mean for how the average American is# experiencing this economy right now?

DIANE SWONK: Well, it really has been what# we have been in for the last year now,## and that is not good.

What we have# seen is both concerns about inflation## and job security intensify, even# as the economy continued to grow.

We had almost a jobless boom in 2025,# and that is not -- it's showing up in## the dissonance that people say how they# feel about the economy because they're## dealing with this sort of tension of both# higher unemployment and higher inflation.

And inflation is much like stock returns.# Stock returns compound over time and make## people wealthy.

On the other side of that,# inflation has been high and too high for five## years.

It's compounded and put the level# of prices out of reach for far too many.

AMNA NAWAZ: In about 30 seconds or so, I have# left, we know the Federal Reserve is going## to meet in another week-and-a-half to discuss a# possible rate cut.

What do you think we will see?

DIANE SWONK: They're not going to be able to cut# rates at this meeting.

There will be at least one## dissent, maybe two.

But I think this is a very# difficult situation for the Fed to navigate.

It's## not the 1970s, but we are five years in with# inflation too high, and that context matters.

AMNA NAWAZ: Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG,## thank you so much for your time.# Always good to speak with you.

DIANE SWONK: Thank you.

GEOFF BENNETT: In the day's other headlines:## U.S.

Customs and Border Protection says it# should have a process read.. to start refunding invalidated tariffs# to hundreds of thousands of companies.

In a filing today, CBP told the Court# of International Trade that it couldn't## immediately comply with the judge's# order to refund the tariffs after## the U.S.

Supreme Court recently ruled# them illegal.

Many large companies,## including Costco, FedEx and Kohl's,# have sued the Trump administration## for refunds.

Some have pledged to pass on# any compensation directly to customers.

Potentially dangerous storms are rolling# across the Central U.S.

with forecasters## warning of possible tornadoes across multiple# states.

More than seven million Americans from## Texas to Iowa are at a higher risk# of severe weather.

More heavy rain## and strong thunderstorms will stretch# into the Upper Midwest.

By tomorrow,## the risk will shift as far south as the# Gulf Coast and to the Eastern Great Lakes.

Authorities in Oklahoma say the storms have# already claimed the lives of two people.

A police## official there says a car crash involving a mother# and daughter appeared to be tornado-related.

Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales of# Texas is vowing to finish out his term## after announcing he won't seek reelection.

The# third-term congressman faced increasing pressure## after admitting to an affair with a staffer# who later took her own life.

Just yesterday,## House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican# leadership had called on him to withdraw,## and the House Ethics Committee had# launched an investigation into his conduct.

On Wall Street today, stocks limped to the end# of a week marked by war, economic concerns,## and rising oil prices.

The Dow Jones industrial# average lost around 450 points on the day.

The## Nasdaq fell roughly 360 points.

The S&P 500# closed out its worst week since last October.

Tributes have been pouring in following the# passing of civil rights activist Bernard## Lafayette.

The Florida native is best# known to history for his work in Selma,## Alabama, where he laid the groundwork for# the voter registration campaign there that## culminated with the passage of# the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Lafayette was also arrested during# his time as a Freedom Rider,## and he helped found the Student Nonviolent# Coordinating Committee.

His ties to the## civil rights movement ran deep.

Lafayette# was seminary roommates with civil rights## icon and future Congressman John Lewis.

He# also helped lead Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

's## Poor People's Campaign in 1968 and was with# King on the morning of his assassination.

In later years, Lafayette spoke# to the PBS program "American## Experience" about the importance of# Dr.

King's legacy of nonviolence.

BERNARD LAFAYETTE, Civil Rights Leader:# We always took the position that,## when we were faced with an avalanche of# violence, that we had to respond with## a macro nonviolence, and that somehow# we couldn't let violence rule the day.

GEOFF BENNETT: Lafayette's son said he died## Thursday morning of a heart attack.# Bernard Lafayette was 85 years old.

And thousands gathered in Chicago# today to pay their respects to the## late Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Choirs and# gospel singers provided the soundtrack## to a public celebration of life for the# late civil rights leader.

The event was## part of a series of memorials, including# in South Carolina, where Jackson was born.

Former President Barack Obama spoke# about Jackson's immense gifts for## creating racial progress in American politics and## how Jackson's two campaigns for# president helped inspire his own.

BARACK OBAMA, Former President of the United# States: And it was because of that path that## he had laid, because of his courage, his audacity# that two decades later a young Black senator from## Chicago's South Side would even be taken seriously# as a candidate for the presidential nomination.

GEOFF BENNETT: Obama was one of three# former presidents to speak today.## He was followed in his remarks by Joe# Biden and Bill Clinton.

All three men## knew Jackson personally and spoke about their# relationships and the example that he set.

JOE BIDEN, Former President of the United States:# Jesse kept hope alive for us in his lifetime,## and we have got a continue to do it# in our lifetime for our children,## because there's nothing beyond our capacity when# we work together, nothing, nothing, nothing.

BILL CLINTON, Former President of the United# States: He was always trying to lift people up.## So I'm here more as a friend than a former# president.

He was my friend when I needed him.

(APPLAUSE) GEOFF BENNETT: Former Vice President# Kamala Harris also spoke today.. how Jackson inspired her as a student# and later early in her legal career.## The Reverend Jesse Jackson died# last month.

He was 84 years old.

Still to come on the "News Hour":# the Justice Department releases## more Epstein files with sexual assault# allegations against President Trump;## and David Brooks and Jonathan# Capehart weigh in on the week's news.

The Justice Department released a batch# of previously unreleased documents from## the Epstein files that include# notes from FBI interviews with a## woman who says she was assaulted# by President Trump as a minor.

In interviews with the FBI, the woman alleged# she was assaulted by Mr.

Trump in the 1980s## and that she was also a victim of Epstein's.# The documents were released after multiple## news outlets discovered they were missing# from the initial mass release of files.

For more, we're joined now by our# justice correspondent, Ali Rogin.

So, Ali,#tell us more about what's in these documents.

ALI ROGIN: Geoff, these documents are known as 302## files.

There's summaries of three interviews# the FBI conducted with this accuser in which## she alleges that Epstein brought her to meet Trump# some time between when she was age 13 and 15.

She details in very graphic terms Trump's# sexual, alleged sexual assault against her## and how she fought back.

She also says she# had two additional interactions with Trump,## but before she expanded on that any further,# she asked if she could go on to another subject.

During the last interview with the accuser,# the FBI asked if she would be comfortable## sharing more about her contacts with Trump.

She# said at the time that she didn't know what the## point would be when there was a strong possibility# nothing could be done about it.

And it's unclear,## Geoff, if there was any additional# follow-up after that last interview.

GEOFF BENNETT: Why weren't these# documents initially released?

ALI ROGIN: These three summaries are actually# part of a set of four.

And that other document## was released as part of that initial# major tranche we saw in late January.

That summary was an interview in which the# accuser focused on Epstein and didn't mention## Trump.

These others also -- these others, of# course, mention the Trump allegations.

Reporters## caught this discrepancy because descriptions# of all four summaries of the interviews were## included in a list that was given to attorneys# for Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.

In a statement released on social media, the# Department of Justice said the interviews had## been incorrectly deemed duplicative and were# subsequently published.

The DOJ also says that## the unredacted versions of the documents will# be available for members of Congress to review.

But reporters have noted that, even still, there# are additional documents that remain missing.## Independent journalist Roger Sollenberger has been# following this closely.

And he noted that there## are at least 37 pages still missing.

That includes# notes that informed these summaries, as well as## internal communication that would memorialize# how the situation with the accuser was resolved.

GEOFF BENNETT: What's the White# House saying about all of this?

ALI ROGIN: White House Press Secretary# Karoline Leavitt put out a statement in## which she calls the accusations# completely baseless and she says## they come from a -- quote -- "sadly disturbed# woman who has an extensive criminal history."

GEOFF BENNETT: If the accuser is unidentified,# how would she know that to be true?

ALI ROGIN: There are some details in the# summaries of these interviews in which## the accuser talks about her arrests as a minor.

While these allegations remain uncorroborated,## there is new reporting Geoff tonight# from Julie K. Brown of The Miami Herald,## who's broken much of the Epstein story, saying# that DOJ officials who spoke to this woman## found her to be credible and that they wouldn't# have interviewed her four times if they didn't.

GEOFF BENNETT: Ali Rogin, thanks# so much for this reporting.

ALI ROGIN: You bet.

AMNA NAWAZ:## When the U.S.

ignited a# war with Iran last weekend,## the State Department advised Americans# to depart now from several countries## in the region.

But airspace closures left# thousands of Americans suddenly stranded.

Over the last five days, nearly 24,000 U.S.# citizens have safely returned to the United States## from the Middle East.

This week, we spoke with# some of the Americans who were stranded overseas.

EMAAN ABBASS, American Citizen: My name# is Emaan Abbass.

I'm originally Egyptian,## but I was born and raised in# California.

The last 9.5 years,## I have lived here in Dubai.

There's not really# been an easy way out for residents like us.

COLLEEN WEST, American Citizen: My name# is Colleen West, and I'm from Lehi, Utah.## My husband and I were in Jerusalem,# and we were ready to go home,## and the war broke out.

We got# back to Salt Lake yesterday.

MATT GENTILE, American Citizen: My name# is Matt Gentile.

I'm from Rochester,## New York, and I was in the Kurdistan# region in Iraq when the war started.

I just got back like two hours ago.

JOHN ALMEIDA, American Citizen: My name# is John Almeida.

I'm here with my wife,## Susanna (ph) Almeida.

We're still in# Dubai.

We got here about 10 days ago.

We were one day away from catching a flight back,# and the days prior to that, this was probably the## most amazing vacation we have ever had.

Then,# the next thing you know, the war breaks out.

EMAAN ABBASS: And there were missiles that# were being intercepted right overhead,## like from my bedroom window, and# it was like a cloud of smoke.

JOHN ALMEIDA: The 28th was probably the scariest# day I think we have all ever had in our lives.

The## missile that fell near the Fairmont Hotel was less# than a kilometer away from where we were staying.## It was surreal to be standing on the beach and# hearing these noises and the ground shaking.

COLLEEN WEST: Our hotel had a bomb# shelter, so we actually went down## there, and you would either hear a# missile go by or see missiles go by,## and then you would hear the explosion.# And that would happen every couple hours.

MATT GENTILE: I was backpacking around,# and I was having an incredible time.## My friends that were in Kurdistan notified# me of the attacks before the government did,## and then I kind of realized I needed to evacuate,# because it was probably only going to get worse.## But all of the airports in the region closed,# because the missiles were flying everywhere.

So we created a plan for me# to get to Turkey, and then,## from Turkey, I would figure out how to get home.

COLLEEN WEST: We just spent hours trying# to figure out, OK, the airport's closed,## how do we get out?

And it took us two days,# didn't sleep.

You would sleep maybe for an hour,## but not too long because missiles were going# all night long, and the sirens in the city,## so you were awake and a little bit traumatized.

EMAAN ABBASS: Every time we'd hear a loud# boom or maybe some jets flying overhead,## I would freeze.

I'd get emotional.

JOHN ALMEIDA: Because we have dual# citizenship, we have contacted the## authorities on both sides, our American# passports and our Portuguese passports.

The American Embassy here has been utterly# useless, utterly.

We called on the day of the## attacks, which was a Saturday.

We called on the# Sunday.

We called and called and e-mailed.

I mean,## you launch an attack and you don't man these# stations with support for your citizens?

Conversely, the Portuguese Embassy, a# representative answered immediately.

EMAAN ABBASS: They had posted a phone number# for us to contact for support in terms of## helping us evacuate.

We called and were on# hold for lengthy periods of time.

Finally,## we get through to someone.

They tell us# this isn't the right number.

You need## to call the consulate.

And# it's basically a recording.

VOICE: Please do not rely on the U.S.

government# for assisted departure or evacuation at this time.

EMAAN ABBASS: We cannot help you, basically.# There is no concern for our lives.

MATT GENTILE: I'm still in very much# contact with all my friends there,## and they keep just sending me more# videos of the missiles and bombs,## and it's happening across different cities now# too.

So I'm just kind of worried about them.

COLLEEN WEST: This was a life-changing event for## me and my husband and the people# that we were with.

The whole time,## I would think I am so grateful to live in# America and to have the freedoms that we have.

EMAAN ABBASS: We didn't ask to be a part of# this.

The neighboring countries did not ask## to be a part of this.

And the United# States and the government decided to## take action very recklessly.

And it's# just unfortunate that you have U.S.## citizens who pay their tax dollars# to support these wars essentially,## and you can't even give them the support to# get to a place where they might feel safe.

AMNA NAWAZ: And a note: John Almeida,# who was featured in that story,## was able to get on a flight out of Dubai# after we spoke and arrived safely back home,## along with his wife, early this morning.

Well, it's been nearly one week since the# U.S.

and Israel launched those attacks on## Iran.

Meantime, the newest jobs numbers# are adding to economic uncertainty.

To discuss all this, we turn now to the# analysis of Brooks and Capehart.

That## is "The Atlantic"'s David Brooks# and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW.

It's great to see you both.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Hey, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: So before we get .. I just want to kind of circle back.

It's the first# time we have spoken since the war was launched.

And we have seen evolving justifications from## the administration about why now# and what they hope to accomplish.

So, David, let's just start there.# What is your understanding of why## this war was launched now and# whether or not it was justified?

DAVID BROOKS: Well, I hate# the way the decision was made,## which seems to have been extremely haphazard.

I have shared everybody's reservations# and fears that there's no exit strategy,## that there's no plausible# way to change the regime,## let alone the deaths that are happening.# And so I share everybody's fears.

It's also true the 1979 Iranian Revolution was one# of the worst events of the 20th century.

And it## began 47 years of terrorism, extremism, theocratic# fascism.

It started with one to two million people## dead in the Iran-Iraq War in 1980.

There were 241# Americans killed by Iranian supervision in Beirut.

And you go on.

And Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas,## they have destabilized the Middle East.

They# have killed people in Syria.

A couple weeks ago,## they killed somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000# people in Iran who were protesting.

And so## this is a destructive and savage regime# that has destabilized the Middle East.

It's also a regime that is in an unprecedentedly# vulnerable situation.

It's lost the faith of its## people.

Its economy is in tatters.

Its# military is destroyed.

Its regime is## decapitated.

So I'm ambivalent.

I hope the# Iranian regime falls.

And that could happen.

What bugs me, frankly, is the people who are sure,## the people who are sure this is a terrible thing# and the people who are sure this is a good thing.## We just don't know.

But the people who are# ignoring the horrors that Iran has perpetrated## on the world for the last 47 years should be# hoping this works.

And we just don't know.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jonathan.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: If -- given what we# went through with the second Gulf War,## given what we went through in Afghanistan,# why on earth are we now at war with Iran?

That's what I'm trying to understand.# I would feel better if the United -- if## the president and his administration# would give us, the American people,## a consistent rationale.

Instead, we have gotten# multiple rationales within the first 24, 48 hours.

And I still don't really understand# why we're doing what we're doing.

And,## really, what is the endgame?

If you# are going to go in there and break it,## Colin Powell's Pottery Barn rule, well, then# what's the plan?

Don't know what the plan is.

And the thing that's been bugging me about all of# this is the level of disrespect.

The president has## shown Congress, has shown the American people,# has shown the military by doing what he's doing## with no clear plan, talking rather blithely about# the potential of loss of life of service members.

But then today, in an interview# with "TIME" magazine, when he was## asked about it, he said -- about potential# reprisals on American Americans at home,## he said, "I guess," and said this# is war, there will be loss of life.

No, Mr.

President, you owe the American people# more than just glib talking points about## something so consequential.

Yes, the Iranian# regime was terrible, and great if it falls,## but only great if there's an actual plan# for what comes next if/when it does.

AMNA NAWAZ: It feels like the American# public has a lot of questions about it## as well.

This is a look at how# the war is resonating back home,## according to a few questions from# our latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll.

Just 44 percent of Americans support U.S.# military action in Iran; 56 oppose it.

That## includes 66 percent of independents.

And# just 36 percent of Americans approve of## how President Trump is dealing with Iran overall.# That is down from 42 percent in January of 2020,## when the U.S.

assassinated the# Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani.

So, David, the man who ran on no# new foreign wars is up against the## public that doesn't want to see# this happen.

How does this end?

DAVID BROOKS: Yes, first, I would say# the reason we're at war is because Iran## declared war on us 47 years ago.

And we# have been in a forever war with Iran that## has gone up until last week, when they were# trying to reconstitute their nuclear weapons.

As for the American public, America has learned# the lessons that Jonathan mentioned.

Even I have## learned the lessons of the lessons of the Iraq# War and the lessons of imperial overreach.

And## so it's good for us that we have learned that# lesson.

The second thing that causes the low## poll ratings for the war is, A, low poll# ratings for Donald Trump and distrust## in the way the war seems to be run by the# civilians, but definitely not the military.

But, third, Donald Trump didn't sell the war.# We had a -- whether you liked the outcome in## the Iraq War debate, we had a yearlong# debate before George W. Bush went to war## in Iraq.

We had nothing.

We had a few minutes# in the State of the Union that was throwaway.

And so, if a president is going to make -- spend# American treasure and blood he really owes it to## the American people to sell them on it.

And he did# nothing.

I'm -- it'd be nice to go to Congress,## but it's been decades since Congress declared# war on anybody.

And that's for both parties.

But he should sell it and explain what the# heck he's doing.

And they have not done that,## which is why people are so# anxious and nervous about it.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jonathan?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Those poll numbers# sort of highligh.. came that was conducted a week before we# went to war with Iran that asked people## whether they -- what they thought# about the president's handling,## well, not just foreign affairs, but his# military actions, the way he was thinking.

And a majority of them said that they disapproved.# That was before he took action against Iran.

So,## I can only imagine what the American people now# think just broadly of the way he is conducting## military actions and foreign affairs.

But, again, I go back to, if the president# wants those numbers to get better, if he wants## the American people to see and support what he's# doing, then he has to do more than put out videos## on his social media platform and blithely# talk about something so incredibly serious.

AMNA NAWAZ: David, can I ask you briefly,# how do you see this ending?

Do you see the## goal as regime change and what does that# mean?

Because the ayatollah is now dead?## They could vote into place a successor who's# equally hard-line.

How do you see this ending?

DAVID BROOKS: Well, I mean, the short answer is,# nobody knows.

We could have a successor who's even## more hard-line, which seems to be in the offering# right now.

But we could have a successor who's not## democratic by any means, but is less hard-line# and is less wedded to the nuclear program,## that is less wedded to spending money on terror# armies, as opposed to the Iranian people.

On the other hand, the regime collapse.# I have seen regimes collapse.

I was## there when the Soviet Union collapsed.

It# seems impossible to imagine it collapsing## until the regime collapses.

And it collapses# from a loss of faith, a loss of confidence.

And the Iranian experts that I have been reading# from Iran say that maybe 10 to 20 percent of the## people in Iran actually support the regime.# So that's a lot of enemies.

And now you have## Israel fighting alongside the Gulf states and# the Saudis.

So there's a coalition against## this regime.

And so those three# things seem to be all possible.

AMNA NAWAZ: I do want to turn to the jobs numbers,## because it is the number one# issue for American voters.

And, Jonathan, I will start with you, because# all of the uncertainty overseas is resonating## back here.

Now, it's been a really choppy# week for the markets.

We just reported a## net loss of 92,000 jobs in February and# downward revisions for previous months.

The president says this is all part of the plan,## the agenda is working, the turmoil is going# to be short-lived.

What do you see here?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: He's been saying that since he## was running for president# and then got inaugurated.

This is bad.

And when we were talking about this# in an earlier call, because I'd been flying,## I asked, was there a revision of the January# jobs numbers?

Because that -- those numbers... Unexpectedly high.

And#because of Heather Long, my former colleague## at The Washington Post, now Navy Federal Credit# Union, I have been paying attention to that,## because she long ago wrote about the fact that# if you took out health care and potentially## hospitality, there's been no job creation in# the United States since April of last year.

She's calling it a hiring recession.

And so# the fact that the January numbers have been## revised downward, the February numbers are# already down, it's just more validity to the## argument that she's been making, and also# more evidence to the American people that,## whatever the president is doing, he thinks he's# doing to improve the economy, it's not working.

AMNA NAWAZ: David, the argument that this is the# process, it'll just take time, do you buy that?

DAVID BROOKS: Well, it's been a year.# And there's been no job growth.

And## there's been everything done to maximize# the uncertainty of the American people,## whether it's tariffs or Iraq or anything# else Donald Trump wakes up and does that day.

And so people have lost faith in# the future.

And that's why they're## not quitting.

That's not why they're not# hiring.

That's not why they're investing.## And it's this rabid uncertainty that's# out there that -- the economy is not## terrible.

Wages were up 3.8 percent# year over year, which is pretty good.

But nobody's doing anything.

Nobody's# moving.

It's not yet A.I.

A.I.

is not## the thing here.

That could be the thing next# month.

But it's just the rabid uncertainty.

AMNA NAWAZ: Could be the thing next# month or next week.

We will see.

David Brooks, Jonathan Capehart,# thank you both so much.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Thanks, Amna.

GEOFF BENNETT:## And we will be back shortly with a look# at a PBS documentary about debate league## students who are learning to think# critically and find their own voices.

AMNA NAWAZ: But, first, take a moment to# hear from your local PBS station.

It's a## chance to offer your support, which helps# to keep programs like this one on the air.

For those of you staying with us, we# examine a long overlooked marvel of## ancient engineering that had been tucked away# beneath a golf course near Columbus, Ohio.

GEOFF BENNETT: Some archaeologists say# significance is on par with Stonehenge,## but its struggle for recognition spanned# decades, ending only recently with validation## as the state's only World Heritage Site,# which opened to the public last year.

Stephanie Sy has this encore report.

BRAD LEPPER, Senior Archaeologist, Ohio History# Connection: So we're approaching the avenue,## the parallel walls that connect the# Observatory Circle with the octagon beyo.. STEPHANIE SY: From the ground where# archaeologist Brad Lepper stands,## you can't really appreciate its complexity.# It's the view from above that is the view## from above that reveals the site in# Newark, Ohio's astonishing geometry.

The Octagon Earthworks are composed# of vast soil mounts, a perfect 20-acre## circle connecting to a perfectly symmetrical# 50-acre octagon, large enough to fit four## Roman Colosseums.

The intricate design mirrors# the moon's 18.6-year journey across the sky,## its central axis meticulously aligned to the spot# where the moon rises at its northernmost point.

BRAD LEPPER: And they're not just close to# being precise.

They're very, very precise.

STEPHANIE SY: What's even more# impressive is when it was constructed.

BRAD LEPPER: About 2,000 years ago.

The span# of time we're talking about is like 1 C.E.## all the way up to 400 C.E.

That's about# the time of the peak of the Roman Empire.

STEPHANIE SY: There are still# many unknowns about who these## Native American builders were.

It's# a long-gone ancient cultural network## spread across the Eastern United States# that researchers now call the Hopewell.

BRAD LEPPER: These people lived in scattered# little communities, and thousands and thousands## of those communities probably came together# here, but they have left no written records.

I think this was like Mecca or like# Jerusalem as a pilgrimage center, but,## without a Koran or a Bible, we don't have# the knowledge of who these ceremony leaders## were.

What was the vision that compelled# people to come here for hundreds of miles?

STEPHANIE SY: But, to Lepper, who spent almost# 40 years studying them, the earthworks themselves## speak volumes about their builders, who# lived roughly 1,500 years before Galileo.

BRAD LEPPER: They were geometers, mathematicians.# They were astronomers.

They were geniuses.

I mean,## they were soil scientists.

They knew what# soils to use to build enduring earthworks.

GLENNA WALLACE, Chief, Eastern Shawnee Tribe# of Oklahoma: When I go to those mounds,## I can hear those ancestors singing.# They didn't have steel.

They didn't have## concrete.

They didn't have metal.# What they had was mother earth.

STEPHANIE SY: Glenna Wallace is the chief# of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma,## descendants of the Hopewell people.

They were forced out of Ohio after the# passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

GLENNA WALLACE: Ohio truly didn't have a voice, a# Native American voice, a Native American presence.

STEPHANIE SY: Without that voice, these mounds# were buried over time beneath railroads,## development and housing.

Today, of# the dozens of Hopewell earthworks## that once stood across Ohio,# less than half remain preserved.

GLENNA WALLACE: Will they never be# content until they have eliminated every## trace of our ancestors?

That's# what's going through my mind.

STEPHANIE SY: The Octagon Earthwork was# spared only because of how the site was used.

BRAD LEPPER: This is part of the# golf course infrastructure.

There## was even a time when they teed# off from the top of the mound.

STEPHANIE SY: For more than a century,# the site was taken over by a golf course.

BRAD LEPPER: It was such a contrast# to have golfing going on in a place## that's like Notre Dame Cathedral or# something.

It always was jarring.

GLENNA WALLACE: The first thought that# came to my mind was the biblical scripture,## father, forgive them, for# they know not what they do.

Earthworks are sacred to us.

And to then# look out and see that those mounds had## a golf course on top of them, I# can't explain the disappointment,## the hurt, the lack of respect that# I felt on behalf of my ancestors.

STEPHANIE SY: Over the years, the golf# course became a members only country club,## which limited access to the historic site.

JENNIFER AULTMAN, Director of Historic Sites# and Museums, Ohio History Connection: It was## very much that sort of private as.. made it really challenging for us# even to do things like research.

STEPHANIE SY: Jennifer Aultman is the director of## historic sites and museums# at Ohio History Connection,## which hatched a plan for the long overlooked# ancient mounds more than two decades ago.

JENNIFER AULTMAN: There was# sort of this thought that, like,## this place is as significant as Stonehenge and# Machu Picchu, and nobody seems to understand## that.

And if it was a World Heritage Site,# like, people would have to understand that.

STEPHANIE SY: But to become a World Heritage# Site isn't easy.

It's a list that includes the## Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Giza.

It# took Ohio History Connection more than 20 years,## including a lengthy legal battle for control# of the site, before the moment arrived in 2023.

DR.

ABDULELAH AL-TOKHAIS, World# Heritage Committee: Adopted.## Congratulations to the United States, America.

STEPHANIE SY: At the World Heritage# Committee hearing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,## eight of Ohio's Hopewell# mounds were put on the list.

JENNIFER AULTMAN: The gavel came down, and# it was in that moment a World Heritage Site.## That was moving enough.

But to be in that# room with representatives from all over the## world and have Chief Glenna, whose people# were forcibly removed from Ohio, speak,## that was the moment that it really came home,# like, how important this was that we did this.

GLENNA WALLACE: They were not# just geniuses.

They were uncommon## geniuses.

Their genius lives on# today in many descendant tribes.

STEPHANIE SY: What do you# think the significance is of## having it be designated as a World Heritage Site?

GLENNA WALLACE: It certainly gives# us as Native Americans a wonderful## feeling of pride.

And I am so proud of# the changes that are occurring in Ohio.## The people are beginning to recognize# what they have in their communities.

STEPHANIE SY: An ancient astronomical observatory# in Ohio that will now be preserved for the ages.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Stephanie Sy.

GEOFF BENNETT: A new documentary called# "Immutable" follows students in the Washington## Urban Debate League over a two-year period as# they faced challenges in their own lives and## on the debate stage.

In the program, students# from middle school through high school learn## how to think critically, challenge their own# opinions and find their voices through debate.

"Immutable" starts airing# tonight on many PBS stations.

I recently spoke with three people# connected to the film for a closer look.

STUDENT: I'm saying that Asia is going# to start a war if the United States... GEOFF BENNETT: The U.S.

role in NATO, Social# Security benefits and economic inequality,## not the kind of topics you# usually hear teenagers discussing,## but in debate competitions,# nothing is off the table.

Urban debate leagues took hold in the 1990s,## opening the door to competitive# debate for students in city schools.

WILL BAKER, Founder, New York Urban Debate# League: Imagine if for the first time -- and## we use this as a hook with kids -- adults# have to sit in the back of the room for## an hour and 45 minutes and just listen# to your ideas.

That's really powerful.

NOAH MILLHOUSE, Student Debater: That# they're paying money and not receiving SSI.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Noah Millhouse# is one of the students featured in## the documentary "Immutable.

"# Now a high school sophomore,## Millhouse started debate during COVID after# his mother pushed him to give it a try.

NOAH MILLHOUSE: I just saw it as a summer# opportunity.

And going into debate and## starting to compete and actually win, it felt# good.

I liked the sport of debate.

I liked the## people I met.

And it just felt like something I# was able to adjust to and just learn new things.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Millhouse is part# of the Washington Urban Debate League,## which helps students in D.C.

area# public schools hone their debate skills.

NORM ORNSTEIN, Matthew Ornstein Memorial# Foundation: It teaches life skills.

It## teaches public school kids a whole host of things,## how to speak in front of any audience, get your# own voice, how to do research, how to write,## how to sort out information from misinformation# and disinformation, because this is policy debate.

And that means that every assertion# you make has to be backed by a## piece of evidence.

And if that evidence is# bogus, you're going to get caught with it.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Norm Ornstein's late son# Matthew was a national debate champion in## high school.

After Matthew died, Ornstein# founded the Matthew Ornstein Foundation,## which now hosts a summer debate camp for students.

NORM ORNSTEIN: We looked at -- for# a way in which we could carry that## set of missions forward and thought,# let's try and bring all of this to## people who don't have those resources.# It's been just a rich experience for us## to see what happens when you can take kids# and give them the tools and the resources.

And one of the elements of this, Geoff,# is that you see brilliance emerge.

STUDENT: Wow, interesting.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Debaters have to# be ready to argue either side of a## topic.

High school senior Sitara# Mazumdar approaches it this way.

SITARA MAZUMDAR, Student Debater: I think# I have a coupled approach of both one of## strategy and one of empathy.

Even if you do# not want to debate or argue a certain side,## you will encounter people in real life who hold# those beliefs.

So it's important to kind of get## in their own minds and think about how they would# approach an issue and see it from their side.

And I think the second is, in terms# of empathy, being able to not just## understand what someone is saying, even# if you disagree, but also why they say## it and what experiences they might have had in# their life that have led them to believe that.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Along the way,## students learn how to make.. SITARA MAZUMDAR: I implore you to vote# affirmative.

Just to reiterate, all the autistic## adults are not receiving the employment services# that they need, 1.9 million autistic adults.

I think really the biggest takeaway is that# debate can be anything you want it to be.

It## is not just your standard stock image of two# people yelling at each other.

It's not just## like an argument at the dinner table that# you might have.

It can really -- you can## take it and use it as a platform to talk# about issues that you most care about.

AMNA NAWAZ: How about you, Noah?

NOAH MILLHOUSE: I feel the sam.. at Kettering Middle School, and so I sought it# to be as an experience because of what I had## felt.

And the experience is being able to# foster a community, being able to bring## others in so they can begin to understand# not only what's going on in the world,## because we want to care about what's going# on around, but how that affects us at home.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Most of all, Ornstein says he# hopes that, in this politically polarized time,## "Immutable" can show that civil# disagreement is still possible.

NORM ORNSTEIN: We're at the 250th# anniversary of the founding of this nation.

And spreading at a time of deep division the# whole idea that you can have civil discourse,## that you can argue strenuously about things,# but not end up in a pitched battle,if people## can come away understanding that that's# possible in the society and not just while## these kids are doing debates, but, more# broadly, we hope that that will resonate.

AMNA NAWAZ: Coming up tonight# on "Washington Week," Jeffrey## Goldberg and his panelists take us inside# President Trump's decision to go to war.

GEOFF BENNETT: And watch "Compass Points"# this weekend.

Nick Schifrin and his panel## of experts discuss just how long the U.S.

can# sustain the military campaign against Iran.

And, on "Horizons," bestselling# author Michael Pollan sits down## with William Brangham to discuss his new# book that explores the mystery of human## consciousness.

Those are right here on your# local PBS station and on our YouTube page.

AMNA NAWAZ: And that is the "News# Hour" for tonight.

I'm Amna Nawaz.

GEOFF BENNETT: And I'm Geoff Bennett.

For all of us here at the "News# Ho.. of your evening with us and have a great weekend.